Forex Trading

Trade the world's largest and most liquid financial market

$7.5T
Daily Volume
24/5
Market Hours
50:1
Max Leverage
180+
Currency Pairs

What is Forex Trading?

Forex (Foreign Exchange) trading involves buying one currency while simultaneously selling another. Currencies are traded in pairs, and traders profit from changes in exchange rates. The forex market is the largest financial market globally, with over $7.5 trillion traded daily.

How It Works

  • • Currencies traded in pairs (EUR/USD)
  • • Base currency vs quote currency
  • • Buy if expecting base to strengthen
  • • Sell if expecting base to weaken
  • • Profit from exchange rate changes

Key Concepts

  • Pip: Smallest price move (0.0001)
  • Spread: Bid-ask difference
  • Lot: 100,000 units standard
  • Leverage: Trade with borrowed capital
  • Margin: Required deposit

Currency Pairs

Major Pairs

Most traded pairs with USD

EUR/USD

Euro/US Dollar

Spread: 0.1 pips
Volume: 28%

USD/JPY

US Dollar/Japanese Yen

Spread: 0.2 pips
Volume: 13%

GBP/USD

British Pound/US Dollar

Spread: 0.3 pips
Volume: 11%

USD/CHF

US Dollar/Swiss Franc

Spread: 0.3 pips
Volume: 5%

Minor Pairs

Cross-currency pairs without USD

EUR/GBP

Euro/British Pound

Spread: 0.4 pips
Volume: 3%

EUR/JPY

Euro/Japanese Yen

Spread: 0.5 pips
Volume: 2%

GBP/JPY

British Pound/Japanese Yen

Spread: 0.7 pips
Volume: 2%

AUD/CAD

Australian/Canadian Dollar

Spread: 0.6 pips
Volume: 1%

Exotic Pairs

Major currency with emerging market

USD/TRY

US Dollar/Turkish Lira

Spread: 20+ pips
Volume: <1%

EUR/ZAR

Euro/South African Rand

Spread: 30+ pips
Volume: <1%

USD/MXN

US Dollar/Mexican Peso

Spread: 10+ pips
Volume: <1%

GBP/SGD

British Pound/Singapore Dollar

Spread: 5+ pips
Volume: <1%

Forex Trading Sessions

Sydney Session

5:00 PM - 2:00 AM ET

Lower volatility, AUD/NZD active

Best pairs to trade:

AUD/USDNZD/USDAUD/JPY

Tokyo Session

7:00 PM - 4:00 AM ET

JPY pairs most active, moderate volatility

Best pairs to trade:

USD/JPYEUR/JPYGBP/JPY

London Session

3:00 AM - 12:00 PM ET

Highest volatility, most liquidity

Best pairs to trade:

EUR/USDGBP/USDEUR/GBP

New York Session

8:00 AM - 5:00 PM ET

High liquidity, USD pairs active

Best pairs to trade:

EUR/USDUSD/CADUSD/CHF

Session Overlaps (Best Trading Times)

  • London-New York: 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM ET (Most volatile)
  • Sydney-Tokyo: 7:00 PM - 2:00 AM ET (Asian session)
  • London-Tokyo: 3:00 AM - 4:00 AM ET (Brief overlap)

Why Trade Forex?

24/5 Market

Trade anytime during weekdays

High Liquidity

$7.5 trillion daily volume

Low Costs

No commissions, tight spreads

Leverage Available

Up to 50:1 in the US

Two-Way Market

Profit from rising or falling

Global Access

Trade worldwide currencies

How to Start Forex Trading

1

Learn the Basics

Understand currency pairs, pips, lots, and leverage

Learn Forex Basics →
2

Choose a Forex Broker

Select a regulated broker with tight spreads and good platform

Compare Forex Brokers →
3

Practice on Demo

Trade with virtual money to practice strategies risk-free

Start Demo Trading →
4

Start Small

Begin with micro lots and gradually increase position size

Calculate Position Size →

Popular Forex Strategies

Scalping

Make multiple quick trades for small profits. Requires tight spreads and fast execution.

Best pairs: EUR/USD, USD/JPY

Day Trading

Open and close positions within the same day. Focus on session overlaps.

Best time: London-NY overlap

Swing Trading

Hold positions for days to weeks. Less time-intensive than day trading.

All major pairs suitable

Carry Trade

Profit from interest rate differentials. Buy high-yield, sell low-yield currencies.

Best pairs: AUD/JPY, NZD/JPY

What Moves Forex Markets

Economic Factors

  • • Interest rate decisions
  • • GDP growth rates
  • • Employment data (NFP)
  • • Inflation reports (CPI)
  • • Trade balance
  • • Central bank policies

Technical Factors

  • • Support and resistance levels
  • • Chart patterns
  • • Moving averages
  • • Fibonacci retracements
  • • Momentum indicators
  • • Market sentiment

Forex Trading Risks

Common Risks

  • • High leverage can amplify losses
  • • Market volatility from news events
  • • Weekend gaps
  • • Broker counterparty risk
  • • Slippage during fast markets

Risk Management

  • • Use stop-loss on every trade
  • • Limit leverage to 10:1 or less
  • • Risk only 1-2% per trade
  • • Avoid trading during major news
  • • Choose regulated brokers only

Forex Trading Resources